Pink Lake of Torrevieja (Laguna Rosa)
Natural parkThe Laguna Rosa is Torrevieja’s famous pink salt lake — a working saltpan turned bubble-gum pink by microscopic algae, and one of the most photographed spots on the southern Costa Blanca.
Why visit the Pink Lake
One of the two lagoons of the Parque Natural de las Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja, the Laguna de Torrevieja glows pink because of the microalga Dunaliella salina and salt-loving bacteria that thrive in its extremely salty water. It is still a commercial salt works, so the colour shifts with the season, the light and the harvest — strongest on bright, calm days. The extreme salinity lets people float easily, and the salt and mud have long been used for their claimed skin benefits, but it remains a protected industrial lagoon rather than a beach, so it rewards a visit for the sight more than a swim.
Why it’s pink
The alga Dunaliella salina and halophilic bacteria pigment the hyper-saline water pink, most vivid in strong summer light.
Best viewpoints
Boardwalks and shoreline points give the classic mirror-pink shots — midday sun deepens the colour.
Extreme salinity
The very salty water makes floating effortless; some visitors coat themselves in the mineral-rich mud.
Flamingos & birds
The wider natural park draws flamingos and waterbirds to its lagoons and surrounding scrub.
A working saltpan
This is still a commercial salt works, so water levels and colour change with the harvest and the weather.
La Mata lagoon
The park’s second, greener lagoon at La Mata makes an easy contrasting stop nearby.
Practical information
- Getting there: about 45 min by car from Alicante airport; parking at the lagoon viewpoints off the CV-905
- Best time: bright, calm summer days for the strongest pink; late morning to midday
- Note: it is a protected working saltpan, not a bathing beach — respect signs and access points
- Don’t miss: pairing the pink lagoon with the greener La Mata lake for the contrast
Explore more of the Costa Blanca
Torrevieja Pink Lake is one of many destinations on the CostaMap interactive map — browse beaches, villages, castles and viewpoints across the whole coast.
